resurfacing, with lots to share

Oh, what a week it’s been! Nearly everyone here at Chateau Chaos came down with a stomach bug and some of us still aren’t feeling 100% but we’re all at least feeling better than we did.

Because life doesn’t stop just because you feel awful, a lot was going on during our Sick Week.

The international movers came and took all our good stuff away. (Ugh, I lost the picture of Arden amidst the boxes!)

I finished and posted my Christmas exchange (and my partner has received it). The stitching part of the exchange was pretty skimpy because I just didn’t have any decent finishing materials and my creativity had fled the scene, so I tried to make up for it by packing in lots of other goodies. Chris assures me she’s happy with it, but I always have such performance anxiety with these things! (This is the Vautier freebie I mentioned recently, btw, stitched in HDF Gandy Dancer silk on HDF 36 ct linen.)

I finished a UFO. This darling design, Fair, Kind, True, is by Deborah of Midsummer Night Designs. I’ve stitched it on a high count of Lakeside Linens Tallahassee Teal using Paper Roses premium silk by Vikki Clayton. I suspect it will reappear around our wedding anniversary in May, hopefully transformed into something lovely.

I also finished A Winter’s Nap by Erica Michaels. I had to make a few changes to the suggested colors, as they didn’t show up on this ivory banding. The banding was a total PITA to work with and I’m not satisfied with the coverage, although in the end it doesn’t look as bad as I’d feared it would.

And I finished Beth Twist’s adorable A Partrige, A Pare & A Turtledove design. I converted the called-for DMC to HDF silks and stitched it on 36 ct Cream HDF linen. I also corrected the spelling because the deliberate misspelling glared out at me and detracted from my enjoyment of the design. I love this one and plan to keep it.

And last but far from least, we celebrated pakjesavond. It was a quieter affair than usual with fewer gifts, less noise, and Max’s absence was keenly felt, but we had fun anyway.

To catch up on mundane matters, my computer is d-e-a-d. Niek’s taking it work to try to salvage the lost data, but it’s a serious PITA because of course I don’t know all my passwords, usernames, etc. and emailing is a nightmare from Niek’s PC. I haven’t spent much time online due to the frustration of nothing working like I want it to, and of course because I’ve felt sort of craptastic all week.

Niek’s work visa came in and he’s now able to enter the US. He’s booked tickets for himself and the pets and will arrive in time for Christmas. Hooray!

The upcoming week will be filled with the kids’ going-away parties for school and extra-curricular groups, and I’ll hopefully see a last couple of friends (fingers crossed!). I’m cheating and buying treats for the kids’ parties, but I figure this one time it’s okay not to go homemade all the way. ;)

27 responses to “resurfacing, with lots to share”

What lovely finishes! I’m sorry to hear you all were sick this week — what a bummer, in the midst of all the chaos. And your computer too. Yikes! I hate to think what would happen if that happened to me so I can totally understand how you must be feeling. Good news about Niek and his work visa and all. Hope things continue on smoothly! And that everyone feels better!

Wow, to bad you all were sick this week! It never fails when you have so much busy work to do, another wrench is thrown into the situation :(. I know what you mean about the passwords on the computer, it is amazing how many you really have to remember, and we never stop to think that this thing we are using is a machine, and can break down anytime…I never think about it, most dont! We look forward to having you here soon!!! Great job on all your stitching– even in all the chaos, you still completed things– OUTSTANDING!! I really like the Partridge piece too, I might have to get that one :)

Sorry, but I can’t find the date of the big move. :( I hope that you all feeling better then, and everything is going smoothly. Personally I hate moving, and you are going so far away. I enjoyed your pictures of your stitched pieces. They all are very lovely. For now: Enjoy the last days on Dutch ground. Unfortunately it’s raining a lot right now.

Well, it’s nice to know that even in a place called Chateau Chaos sometimes things just fall into place. What great news about Niek’s visa AND that you’ll all be together stateside for Christmas!! Now THAT’S a great Christmas gift!! Otherwise, keep on doing what you’re doing: enjoying your last visits (for a while) with friends and getting everyone ready for the big move. Oh, and finding those rare quiet moments to unwind and stitch.

I don’t know where you get the time to keep stitching in these hectic weeks! I think I would have moved my needles to the USA too, just to keep me ‘disabled’ to stitch…
There is so much going on, even only reading it gives me the feeling like I’m doing nothing these weeks, just the usual.

So sorry that you all have been feeling poorly. Your finishes look fantastic and can’t wait to see how you finish Fair, Kind, True. Even more fantastic is that Niek’s work visa is in and you will all be together at Christmas!

Lovely stitched pieces. Wow–you’re getting closer and closer! It makes me exhausted just to read your posts about moving. Better the stomach bug before the plane ride, though, than during! Best wishes on everything going smoothly and a nice soft landing in Maine.

I cant believe how much lovely stitching you have got done! Maybe if my computer died id get more done too then LOL Glad to hear you are all feeling better and that you will all be together for Christmas! Great news!

So sorry to hear you all were sick. Hope everyone is much better by now!
Your finishes are just lovely, I especially love Deborah’s design….
Sounds like you need Santa to bring you a new computer!
xoxo

Gorgeous projects! I’m really gonna have to stitch PP&T, darn it. Sounds like you’re in the home stretch! There’s nothing like the home stretch. Hope everyone is feeling loads better and that they stay that way for a while.

I’m so sorry to hear you all were sick with the tummy bug. That can be miserable! Glad it got out of the way before the 14th.
Your stitching is lovely. Wow-I just haven’t felt like stitching at all and you are an inspiration for sure.
Good luck with everything in the coming weeks. Moving is hard work. I think I was up and down stairs at my mom’s about 20 times. I’m pooped just from doing that.

So much to do so little time. I hope you get to see everyone you want to before you leave. What a happy/sad time-it’s emotional just to read about it, I can’t imagine living it. Hope everyone is better from the stomach thing. I had it myself on Thanksgiving, not the best time for it. And so glad Niek can be in the US for Christmas. That will be a huge happy time. Good luck and God bless this last crazy week.

How on earth did I miss this one? Barbara, I like how you stitched PP&T… you just barely squeezed that “d” in there, didn’t you?- its perfect! :) Would you mind if I stole your picture and posted it over on my finish blog?